La Liga trivia: Five must-know facts about Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti (R) with Cristiano Ronaldo. Pic Courtesy/ La Liga

Real Madrid have hired the Italian to replace Zinedine Zidane, with the 61-year-old returning to the club he previous coached with success between 2013 and 2015.

Carlo Ancelotti is back in charge at Real Madrid. The Italian has been brought back to the club he previously coached between 2013 and 2015, when he won Real Madrid's 10th European Cup - the long-awaited Décima. He replaces his former assistant Zinedine Zidane and will reunite with several of his former players. He's one of the greatest managers of the modern era, but here are some things you might not know about Carlo.

1 - Carlo Ancelotti was one of the finest players of his generation
Ancelotti hung up his boots back in 1992, so not all football fans remember watching him play. But those who did see him play will remember Ancelotti as one of the best midfielders of his generation. The Italian formed part of Arrigo Sacchi's legendary AC Milan side, winning back-to-back European Cups with the Rossoneri in 1989 and 1990.

2 - Carlo Ancelotti grew up on a farm
Born in Reggiolo, a town equidistant between Parma and Bologna, Ancelotti spent his childhood on a farm and helped his family out with the work on the fields. They produced parmesan cheese and Ancelotti helped to milk the cows, a responsibility he has since said taught him the value of being patient.

3 - Carlo Ancelotti once appeared on Star Trek!
Carlo has made it onto the big screen, enjoying a small cameo in the 2016 movie ‘Star Trek Beyond.' When in Vancouver to visit the set, he spoke to director Justin Lin and was given the cameo role. "I play the part of a scientist who has to examine an alien," he said afterwards. "It was good. I pretended it was Cristiano Ronaldo in front of me!"

4 - Carlo Ancelotti's still in with a chance of making history
Ancelotti's coaching career has taken him all across Europe, and he's won the league title in Italy, England, France and Germany. Until now, though, LaLiga Santander has eluded him. It was Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona who lifted the title during his first stint at Real Madrid. This season, he'll look to make further history by becoming the first coach to win a championship in all five of Europe's biggest domestic leagues.

5 - Carlo Ancelotti has a strong relationship with much of the Real Madrid squad, new and old
This is Ancelotti's second stint in charge at Real Madrid and has already worked closely with the likes of Varane, Kroos, Casemiro, Isco, Modric and Martin Odegaard, even giving the young Norwegian his debut as a 16-year-old. And don't forget, he's also close to new superstar David Alaba, having worked with the Austrian international while at Bayern Munich.

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